Georgia-Pacific reports that it plans to build a $100 million sawmill in Talladega, Ala. at the site of a plywood plant that GP closed in 2008. Construction of the 300,000 sq. ft. operation is scheduled to begin immediately with an anticipated startup in late 2018.

The Talladega sawmill is the first of several new sawmills GP may construct in in the South.

The mill is expected to produce 230MMBF annually, bringing in 150 log trucks daily, with plans to expand to 300MMBF. The plant will employ more than 100 and generate an estimated $5 million in annual payroll, according to GP.

“The availability of talent and natural resources makes Talladega an ideal site for this new lumber production facility,” says Fritz Mason, vice president and general manager, Georgia-Pacific Lumber.

GP had operated the plywood mill in Talladega for more than 30 years.

“This new facility is the first of several we have in our current plan,” Mason adds. “The demand for lumber continues to improve as the housing market recovers, so we are evaluating similar investments in Georgia, Texas and Mississippi.”